Neighbors Say Dorney Problems Heating Up Early

Just a few weeks into the amusement park season, neighbors of Dorney Park are experiencing problems with park traffic and parking, they told township commissioners last night.

But they hope for some relief from Cedar Fair LP, the park's new owners, when the deal to sell Dorney is done.

Four neighbors of the park who live on Walnut or 39th streets said park employees have begun parking next to a fence on Walnut by Scenic Street, and now exit on narrow residential streets causing traffic and safety problems.

"The employees really like to burn out of the parking lot," said Resident Andrew L. Romberger. He and other said they were afraid for the safety of neighborhood children. "If it is an employee parking lot, tell the employees that it's a residential area."

Township Manager Gerry Gasda said he thought that the Walnut Street area is zoned R-5, which could not be used as a parking lot unless it was grandfathered in. He said he would check into it.

Resident Ron Hanna asked if arrows could be put on the light at Cedar Crest Boulevard and Broadway Avenue to help traffic flow more smoothly. He was told that the light is Allentown's.

Hanna said he is hopeful that when Cedar Fair takes over they will sit down with residents and the township and talk about some of these problems.

"You can be sure when they do come to Dorney Park, we will be working with them," said Commissioner Martha Nolan.

In other business, a man who had drilled a well for his newly built home on Blue Barn Road asked to have a hook up fee waived to be connected to the township's water system.

Sam Sacco said he had asked last year before he built his home if South Whitehall would be connecting that area to the public water system and was told not anytime soon. Sacco said he went ahead and put in his own water system.

But now the township is putting water lines along his section of Blue Barn and he is being required to pay a $2,100 hook up fee and will lose the $3,500 he spent on the water system he put in six months ago.

Township staff said a year ago, there were no plans to connect up that road but circumstances changed in the meantime.

The commissioners said they would look into the situation, but a township solicitor said there might be legal problems with granting Sacco relief.